


I Think The Word Is...

by PureSymmetry



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Byleth can't pick up on social norms, F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Oblivious My Unit | Byleth, Oneshot, Pining, Rare Pairings, Spoilers, Stealthy Byleth, outside pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:33:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26263483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PureSymmetry/pseuds/PureSymmetry
Summary: Byleth has noticed that two of her hard-working students have been a bit distracted in their studies and seeks out the cause. Unfortunately, she can't seem to grasp that what keeps Edelgard and Leonie away from the classroom so often isn't exactly something she can understand herself. And why does Dorothea keep smiling...?
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg/Leonie Pinelli
Comments: 11
Kudos: 27





	I Think The Word Is...

**Author's Note:**

> Because no one does this ship and that's criminal.

It first started when she noticed Edelgard had arrived half an hour late for afternoon classes.

She had pushed the doors to the classroom wide open, out of breath and her hair a slight mess. Both Byleth and the other students tried to ask what on Earth had happened only to be met with 'Lost track of time training.' While it likely wasn't a lie, Edelgard wasn't one to be late to a class, especially not by _thirty minutes._ Byleth - growing ever accustomed to being the dutiful Professor - decided it would be best to keep a close eye on Edelgard.

And that was how she came to be hiding behind a pillar, watching Edelgard duel with Leonie Pinelli from the Golden Deer house.

She hadn't gotten to know _too_ much about Leonie other than that she idolized her father and saw her as a rival of sorts. She hadn't really thought much of it, though she was always happy to help a student grow in skill even if they weren't from her house. That was why she thought it good she had found such a strong sparring partner in Edelgard - one of the few at the Monastery who could so much as get a hit off of her during training - but then things took a _strange_ turn.

Edelgard had used the handle of her axe to suddenly disarm Leonie before she slid her foot in such a way that it swept Leonie off her feet cleanly. She'd have to watch out for that one during their next training session... But no, that wasn't what Byleth found strange. Leonie had reached out and grabbed onto Edelgard's shoulder, bringing the both of them tumbling to the ground with the Imperial heir on top. Byleth thought they'd simply get up and congratulate each other, but no, they just...sat there for a while, out-of-breath and not saying a word. Were they resting? One might think so, but there was a very weird shift in the air that Byleth couldn't pick up on for the life of her.

Eventually, the scene before her was broken up by Caspar and Ferdinand who had exclaimed their arrival _very_ loudly, giving Byleth enough time to adjust her hiding spot while Edelgard and Leonie clamored off of each other before the two Eagles saw them. What caused such a reaction? Surely they could simply say they fell during a training exercise.

 _That_ wasn't the end of those odd occurrences either.

This time, she found Edelgard and Leonie at one of the tea tables in the garden in such an area that you probably wouldn't come across them simply by walking past. That was why Byleth had camouflaged herself, holding two tufts of grass on sticks in front of her as she laid flat on her stomach. Thankfully they didn't seem to notice her masterfully-crafted hiding trick.

They talked for quite a while, topics ranging from classwork to Professors - she smiled a little when they both had only praises to say about her in particular - along with Edelgard bringing up the class system brought about by Crests. Leonie hadn't seemed too passionate about it at first, though she seemed to pick up a somewhat negative opinion of the system when Edelgard laid about the rather apparent flaws behind it that ended up putting her village in debt. Hm.

Byleth had thought she'd seen enough at this point, but then there was another one of those moments that she simply couldn't describe for the life of her. She guessed that Edelgard must have had a piece of cake on her chin or something similar, as Leonie stood up, leaned over the table and seemed to wipe it away with her ring finger. A flustered Edelgard had backed away from the table only to _stutter -_ that was new - when Leonie put the piece of vanilla cake in her mouth, citing 'Food shouldn't be wasted!' as her reasoning for such an act. Edelgard seemed absolutely unable to drop the point however, so Leonie suggested Edelgard embarrass her back. 

Edelgard, still blushing and a bit apprehensive, took a few seconds to think about how to get Leonie back, though Byleth still couldn't fathom what the problem was. Letting food go to waste _was_ pretty foolish after all. Edelgard seemed to come up with an answer as soon as Byleth finished that thought; she cut off a small piece of cake and held it up in front of Leonie. Leonie seemed to hesitate, even regret her decision for a moment before she closed her eyes and parted her lips. Edelgard _gasped_ \- again, what was so problematic? - and may have been a bit too quick with her arm as she spoon-fed Leonie. The two sat there for a while, Leonie staring at Edelgard like a deer caught by a hunter while Edelgard simply didn't take her spoon away.

It was then, similarly to before, that someone interrupted; Claude and Lorenz's voices brought the two of their self-induced stupors, Edelgard retracting her tea and Leonie finally eating her cake, though it was more like she swallowed without even chewing. They both stood up, excused themselves and bid farewell as Claude and Lorenz came around the corner clearly in some form of an argument. They hadn't stopped to ask why there was an entire set of tea and unfinished cake left on the table, though Claude's eyes briefly wandered to Byleth's location and then back to said table.

Byleth wondered that night in the dining hall what had unnerved Leonie and Edelgard so much. Was there some sort of history behind feeding a friend? She had done it multiple times to save someone's life, she had no idea why someone might react that way towards food. In an attempt to see if reactions like that were universal, she sat across from Dorothea when the Black Eagles did their usual group lunch, cut off a small piece of cake just as Edelgard did and spoon-fed the girl as she was talking to Edelgard who - again, _why?_ \- paled at the action. The entire table shushed up any conversation it was having and even Linhardt seemed to be paying full attention to what was going on.

Dorothea muttered something about asking her out on a date first before Seteth appeared from nowhere and brought her outside for a lecture on proper conduct and professionalism. When he saw she _genuinely_ had no idea what the problem was, he merely sighed and told her it was inappropriate for people to do when they weren't close. She couldn't help but pout at that; she liked to think she was close to her students...

The next week or two were rather uneventful. They occasionally walked to class together before splitting off, could be found sparring with each other, and Edelgard had no longer been late to class. Still, at this point Byleth was more curious than anything, so she kept up her watch. One day, however, Leonie had asked if she could join the Black Eagle house. Byleth had no problem of course - anything to spend more time with a student - but when she asked Leonie about her reasoning she paused as if she hadn't thought of one, or perhaps she didn't want to say the reason. She accepted Leonie's answer when she said it was merely to get a closer look at Jeralt's child, though.

Now, once again, it seemed that _someone_ had been getting distracted in class. Byleth noticed a few minor things that hadn't really affected the students' work and grades but _did_ change the classroom mood a little. Dorothea would giggle more often than normal whenever Leonie or Edelgard took a seat next to each other, said women would randomly smile and daydream sometimes in the midst of a lecture, and were visibly disappointed whenever they weren't assigned together on combat training or even something as mundane as attending the stables.

Considering Dorothea tended to know more than she let on Byleth thought it appropriate to ask her what was going on. She gave Byleth her signature smirk - the one that says she knew something you didn't - and told her it might be best for her to 'not get involved in Edie's personal affairs.' She said it gently and had ensured she didn't come across as insulting, but Byleth couldn't understand; was she _not_ supposed to get involved with her students' affairs? She was meant to look out for them no matter what... She'd ask Hubert, but he'd usually just grumble and say something along the lines of 'a waste of time.'

It was nighttime now. Byleth decided to do one of her nightly patrols when she heard a noise come from one of the dorm rooms. She quietly but quickly walked over to the source and recognized it to be Edelgard's room. Was the poor thing having nightmares again? She saw the door was slightly ajar, and when she peeked in a warm smile lit up her usually stoic face. Edelgard had been sitting at a chair in front of her desk, her head lowered but a tinge of red on her cheeks as a gloved hand massaged her back and a low voice eased the woman's tension with presumably kind words. It seemed Leonie had beaten Byleth to the punch for once.

Byleth vaguely recalled a rule saying that students' weren't allowed to be in another's dorm at night, but Byleth decided this would be one of the times where she didn't care about the rules. Besides, she had gone into Edelgard's room herself to make sure she was okay, so she had no right to bust Leonie for doing the same. What _was_ a little strange though, was that the next morning both of the students' had been a bit late to class. It was in the back of her mind throughout the whole lesson, but perhaps Leonie had stayed the night and they slept in? Made sense.

The two seemed a bit closer than usual; even Linhardt began to make observations about how the two should get their own room when they weren't listening, much to Dorothea's delight and to Hubert's dismay. When she asked why Linhardt had suddenly become so outspoken, he simply responded with something about his nap time being interrupted. Hm. It looks like she'd have to go into stealth mode once again. The same day that she decided to do that, conveniently, would be the day where something caused her to take an even bigger interest in the exploits of such an unlikely pair.

Leonie had suddenly spoken up and asked to go to the infirmary, followed by Edelgard asking if she could make sure Leonie got there alright. She found no issue with it at the time, but after they left and Dorothea giggled once more, she decided it might be a good thing to end class ten minutes early. Most of the students filled out eagerly - Hubert in particular rushing out presumably to head towards the infirmary - while Dorothea pulled Byleth to the side and spoke in the voice that said she was up to no good. Asked if Byleth planned on looking for Edie and Leonie; she agreed, and so the pair set off in search of the two. While Byleth wanted to head to the infirmary Dorothea thought it would be a safer bet to visit the Goddess Tower; trust me, she said.

Byleth would learn to trust Dorothea's instinct when they later found Edelgard with her back against the wall and Leonie pressing her forehead down on the smaller girl. Byleth thought they should intervene while Dorothea begged her Professor not to make a move, at least for right now. They watched the two stand there for what seemed like forever when it was Leonie who took the initiative. She grasped Edelgard's hand, tilted her chin up and moved in; Dorothea seemed to have an idea as to what was going on, though Byleth was still worried things would somehow turn violent. Trying to quiet Dorothea from giving their position away with giggling she almost missed when Edelgard lightly pushed Leonie away and shook her head, muttering inaudible words before stepping to the side and walking out past the other exit.

Dorothea seemed to stop giggling and put on a rather serious face while Byleth still looked on with worry and curiosity. Leonie had stood there stunned, her head lowered and her hand wiping at something in her eyes.

Dorothea quickly suggested they leave; this was a scene they clearly weren't meant to see.

While Byleth hadn't known what had just transpired, she quickly agreed.

It would be a few moons before anything noteworthy ever happened, though there was a clear tension between Edelgard and Leonie that the rest of the class tried to ignore. Nothing hostile, just...awkward, even for Byleth. That was in the mind's of no one, however, when _he_ passed.

Byleth had never known true grief before. She had seen students fall in battle a few times, but that was quickly mended with Divine Pulse. Death never seemed to stick for her loved ones.

That is, until her father took a dagger to the back.

Many told her before that she was very inexpressive. While she hadn't much cared in the past she honestly liked the feelings she got when she was around her students; happy, excited...

She never wanted to feel grief like this again.

At the very least she found herself lucky when Edelgard herself had come and found her in Jeralt's study, her eyes reddened from crying for so long. The Imperial princess was clearly sympathetic, but she also urged Byleth to move forward. To come out from the shell she'd created for herself and _take revenge._ While she initially thought her words were insensitive, she soon came to realize that they were exactly what she needed to hear.

What she didn't need to hear though, was how she didn't appreciate her father enough when she was alive.

Leonie had asked to talk, and of course Byleth would oblige. Her students' needs were at the forefront of her mind after she resolved to move past her grief and aim for the future. It got ugly rather fast though, and despite Byleth's love for her student she felt another emotion that day that she'd rather never feel in such intensity again.

Anger, for Leonie's blatant insensitivity. Shame, for the fact that her words may have rung true. And...sadness, when her student's heart seemed to break and, for the first time, she could do nothing but stand there and be silent. No expression to tell her it was okay, No words, and that was what left Leonie to stumble away from Byleth in a daze. Byleth would see Leonie later that same night though.

In an attempt to distract herself from her thoughts Byleth took up nightly patrol once again; she heard a noise and, just like last time, quietly but quickly made her way to the source. A door slightly ajar, she peeked in to see the sight of Leonie with her back to the door and Edelgard in front of her, the two sharing a rather forceful hug for what must've been quite a while. Leonie had likely been staining Edelgard's nightwear, but if the Imperial princess noticed she didn't really care. Her bare hand - Byleth did a double-take when she saw scars across it - sat on top of Leonie's head while her other gently stroked her back.

Edelgard's eyes briefly meant Byleth's at the door, and when the latter nodded after staring back for a few seconds, Edelgard nodded in response. Byleth wasn't entirely sure of what message they had just sent each other, but it had taken some of the tension out of Edelgard's shoulders judging from how she relaxed. Byleth stood up and left the scene, unable to keep herself from smiling. Even when _she_ couldn't help out her students, she was glad they had others they could confide in.

Revenge on Kronya had a strange sense of catharsis that came with it, shared between Byleth, Leonie, and strangely enough Edelgard. The festivities had to wait though, as Rhea decided it imperative that they conduct a ritual in the Holy Tomb after Byleth's hair turned green. Edelgard and Leonie seemed to make up thankfully, though now there was a different sort of tension in the air, one that didn't have a very clear source.

It was unidentifiable until the Flame Emperor had discarded her mask in the Holy Tomb, that is. While everyone was shocked, no one was as stunned as herself and Leonie, whose grip on her lance seemed to falter and tighten at random intervals. By the end of the fighting, bodies strewn about across the Tomb - none of her students, thankfully - Edelgard stood in front of Byleth and Rhea, her expression even as if putting up a barrier to keep her emotions at bay. Byleth saw through it easily; she had spent far too long wearing that expression _naturally,_ after all. Her eyes silently pleaded with her Professor, and she could sense in the way she fought and even the orders barked at her men that she truly hadn't the slightest intention to hurt her friends.

Her decision was made the moment Rhea declared Byleth to kill Edelgard on the spot, no explanation offered.

The Black Eagles - don't forget Leonie and Lysithea who had been convinced to join earlier by Edelgard herself - were warped into the front of the Monastery by Hubert. Horses and wyverns had already awaited them; just how much had Edelgard and Hubert prepared for this? She found herself pleased when she saw that Edelgard had just enough horses and wyverns for every student, although a slight issue arrived as Manuela - she offered to come down to the Tomb as well - refused to let Dorothea leave without her former mentor watching over her. Though Hubert was quick to attempt to shut her down Leonie had simply jumped on the back of a horse with Edelgard and shouted for them to come on.

As they rode far, _far_ away from the Monastery, she caught a glimpse of Leonie grasping at Edelgard's hand, squeezing it as if seeking reassurance. Edelgard calmly slid one of the hands guiding her horse and held Leonie's hand tightly. Even Byleth could sense the gratitude Edelgard held towards not just Leonie, but to _everyone_ who had made the decision to follow her even in the presence of the Archbishop.

When they got back to an Imperial stronghold, tired and worn-out from the journey, Edelgard had allowed everyone a moment to rest before she explained herself. Later that day they were all gathered in what looked like a war room, Edelgard and Hubert standing at the front while Byleth stood behind them; they had informed her beforehand what they had intended to achieve, and if Byleth wasn't sure of her choice before (she was), she was _definitely_ not about to leave Edelgard's side now. It seemed everyone else agreed, even the more withdrawn members of their group.

As night came and everyone seemed to drift off to their temporary quarters, Byleth accidentally found Dorothea hiding behind a corner, a big smile on her face. Before she could ask, Dorothea shushed her and moved aside a bit so Byleth could see what the songstress had been staring at so intently. 

Edelgard and Leonie had been standing in the middle of a room, Leonie's hands on top of Edelgard's head while the smaller girl opted to wrap her arms around her friend... Hm. Byleth shook her head; no, in this situation she found that the word 'friend' proved inadequate when describing a complicated relationship like this. Partner? ...Closer, but still missing something _definitive._

They stayed like that for some time before Edelgard raised her head up. Muttered an apology for before, said she didn't want to get Leonie hurt. Said she didn't want to be selfish. Leonie, being the person she was, popped Edelgard in the forehead and cupped her face. They were in this together, she said. But she'd have to pay for messing with her heart like that.

Byleth made an 'O' sound drowned out by Dorothea's quick and loud squeal; thankfully, neither Edelgard or Leonie seemed to notice the prying eyes. They were much too busy locking lips as Byleth seemed to finally come across a word that seemed to describe their otherwise unnatural behavior perfectly.

Love.

She _also_ found out that apparently Ferdinand and Caspar now owe Dorothea five-thousand gold each. 

**Author's Note:**

> Imagine not giving Edelgard and Leonie a CF support LOL.
> 
> This was for fun, and I hope you had fun reading this. Maybe I'll do more oneshots if I'm bored, who knows?


End file.
